REPAIR works to a town centre car park have been delayed again.

It had been hoped that work to repair the top floor of Portland Walk car park in Barrow town centre would be completed later this month.

But recent wet weather has delayed the contract works and it is now likely to be November before the car park is reopened.

Zoe Wilson, store manager of Clarks, said: “Old dears are not going to park further away to walk here if they’re not able to do so, and what about people in wheelchairs?”

Jamie Brown, a store worker at EE, said: “It’s quieter in the afternoon, it’s a shame.

Paul Lowden, assistant store manager of EE, said: “We used to get more people in after 3pm.

"I’m not saying it’s the car parks fault but it doesn’t help.”

And the store manager of Waterstones said: “It isn’t great for the town, it needs sorting with Christmas coming up.”

All the arrangements which have been put in place by Barrow Council to help motorists, such as contracts being extended to other council car parks, and Portland Walk car park’s ‘Free after three’ scheme being applied to Oldham Street car park, will be extended until the work is completed.

Cllr Ann Thomson, leader of Barrow Council, said: “We had hoped the work would be completed by the contractors later this month.

“Unfortunately, the recent wet weather has delayed the work, and it is now looking like November before the work will be completed.”

The top level of the car-park is due to be resurfaced and the parking lines need to be added to complete the work.

Cllr Thomson said: “What is needed is a dry run of weather so the work can be completed.

"The council can control many things, but unfortunately the weather is not one of them.

“We thank everyone for their patience.

We hope the alternative measures we have put in place, and will continue to have in place until the work is completed, have helped alleviate knock-on effects that people are experiencing.”